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Comment by ImPostingOnHN | Hacker News Reader

But if they tried to use whatsapp with that number, they would either be unable to register, or would be using someone else's whatsapp account which was set up with that number, until the original whatsapp account expires, right?

> Phone numbers don't come with the guarantee of only one user given enough time.

Whatsapp seems to think they do, based on the article, and their logic of making the phone number the account. Therein lies the problem.

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Not sure I understand what you mean. X had the number, so the fact is reflected in some searchable dataset. Then abandoned it. Maybe there was no WhA registered, or it expired after 120 days. Now Y gets the number from a mobile operator pool, and registers WhA.

>their logic of making the phone number the account

I see nothing wrong with it. It's clear and long-established offer: number=account, and WhA definitely neither the first, nor the only one who does it. Of course, it has its disadvantages, but it's ok for the majority of users who don't want to show id, or fill a questionnaire to start texting.

> Not sure I understand what you mean. X had the number, so the fact is reflected in some searchable dataset. Then abandoned it. Maybe there was no WhA registered, or it expired after 120 days. Now Y gets the number from a mobile operator pool, and registers WhA.

What about before 120 days but after the phone number was "abandoned"?

Can you clarify? I really don't know what about, and why it's the question here

Sure, I'm asking what happens if you have whatsapp and swap phone numbers and the next day someone gets your old phone number.

Can they register for a different whatsapp account under the same number?

Can they access your whatsapp account?

Can you?

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